Protective Coverings

ABSTRACT

Protective covering for cabinets, appliances, and residential construction components of multi-layer sheeted materials capable of being die-cut into shapes and configurations suitable for protecting kitchen and bath countertops and appliances, home construction components, and desirable multi-layer configurations for various embodiments of the invention. Corrugated materials including paper and plastic are provided in sheets and may be combined with other layers of complementary materials, including plastic sheets, for extending downwardly to protect kitchen and bath cabinets and countertops from paint splashes and for covering air duct openings.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Divisional application of application Ser. No. 11/039,171,filed on Jan. 20, 2005. The application Ser. No. 11/039,171 claimed thebenefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/537,568 filed on Jan. 20, 2004, and U.S. Provisional Application No.60/574,340 filed on May 25, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to protective coverings for constructionsites and, more particularly, the invention relates to protectivecoverings for cabinets, construction components and appliances.

2. Description of the Prior Art

During the construction phase of all newly built and remodeled homes,preventable damage occurs which can average approximately $3,000.00 ormore per home for repairs, replacements and cleaning. This preventabledamage causes problems between builders and the homebuyers, in additionto causing unnecessary delays after construction occurs, and disruptionof construction scheduling and processing and building closing dates.

Much of this damage occurs from scratches, nicks, dents, overspray ofpaint, caulk, adhesives, tracking in of dirt, and other contractor andconstruction worker-induced damage. The most common forms of damageoccur as construction workers are working in and around partially orwholly finished portions of the construction with their tools, productsand work-related paints, sprays and other construction materials.

For instance, once the bathroom components are installed (bathtub,shower, toilet and countertops), construction workers have to workaround these appliances and cabinets in order to put up the drywall,paint the walls, install minors and other fixtures, all without tryingto damage any of the previously installed bathroom components. It wouldbe advantageous to provide a product and method in order to eliminaterepair and replacement costs and additional post-construction cleaningcosts. This would improve the builder's image, customer satisfaction andwould ultimately increase the profit of the builder.

In that regard, it would be most advantageous to provide constructionprotective coverings which would be easy to install. It would also beadvantageous to provide protection that could be easily modified to fitinto specific places with commonly used tools such as a utility knifeand tape.

Yet another problem arises because conventional construction ofcommercial and residential buildings and repairs tend to require a veryexacting sequence of events. Among others, one reason for the criticaltiming of events in the construction process is because certain objectsare easily blemished and costly to correct in terms of time and money.As mentioned above, once a structure is constructed, the finishedsurface of the structure is subjected to dropped tools, paint, adhesiveand other objectionable contact. Objects which are especially sensitiveto scratches, nicks and marring during the construction process areoften composed of relatively delicate materials, such as kitchencountertops and appliances, molded fiberglass, steel, marble andprecious woods, used in counters, sinks, bathtubs, basins, toilets,bidets, shower stalls, countertops and fireplace areas, and the like.Such items are often scratched, nicked or marred after theirinstallation in, and during the construction or repair of, houses,buildings, boats, swimming pools, aircrafts and similar structures.

Currently construction workers often protect precious finished surfacesby utilizing techniques that are ineffective. In the past, constructionworkers have tried using protective materials including drop clothes,towels, bed linen and plywood to protect precious finished surfaces,although they have met with limited effectiveness. While these devicesmay fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, asprotective coverings they can pose dangers to the appearance and valueof the precious finished surfaces and may compromise the safety of theconstruction workers.

Previously, construction workers would utilize the packaging materialsfrom products that had been delivered to the site, but these packagingmaterials were ineffective and did not suit the application. Suchprotective coverings needed to be modifiable to fit a cabinet, a vanityor an island in bathroom and/or kitchens, and would be most advantageousif a simple utility knife and tape could be utilized to protect all ofthe previously installed components.

Furthermore, builders have found that there are not many products onwhich they can encourage brand name recognition by displaying theirnames. The proposed protective coverings of the present invention couldalso be used as marketing tools, as they may be effective billboards forthe name of the builder, which can be removed after the home has beenmoved into. This billboard effect may also help to give a place forwarnings for the construction workers, such as “Stop: Do-Not-Use”.Moreover, if the construction protective coverings of the presentinvention would also suffice as a sturdy work surface in covering thevarious bathroom and/or kitchen, etc., components, the advantages couldbe doubly realized. The addition of textured or ribbed surfaces onto anyof the protective coverings of the present invention may also add to thesafety of the workers when utilizing the construction protectivecoverings described herein.

The present invention substantially departs from the conventionalconcepts and designs of current products on the market, and in so doingprovides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of coveringprecious finished surfaces during construction or repair. This presentinvention serves as a shield to prevent objects from coming in contactwith the precious finished surface and a platform from which contractorsmay work. The protective covering of the present invention is reusable,durable and helps to minimize cleaning and repair expenses during andafter construction.

It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a new, moreprotective temporary construction site protective covering that caneither be disposable or reused. It is also an aspect of the presentinvention to utilize modern double-skinned materials and integralprotective apron which are much easier to custom fit with a simpleutility knife, as well as to provide more durable coverings than priorart coverings. Protective coverings that are capable of holding at least500 pounds so that heavy weight construction workers can be supported ontop of the counter or appliance would be most advantageous.

It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a plasticsheet skirted protective covering that will be capable of beingdisposable and lightweight. Further still, the protective covering wouldbe most advantageous if it could be made of a double skinned materialwith a plastic sheet extending therefrom which is lightweight and iscapable of protecting the delicate finish of the previously installedmaterial from nicks and scratches made by careless use of constructiontools, boots, and the like.

Therefore, there are described herein a collection of constructionprotective coverings including protective coverings for kitchen and bathcountertops, toilets, air duct vents, floor covers, and any other typeof protective covering desirable for use by construction contractors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a newconstruction protective covering which meets the advantages discussedabove. Disclosed is a construction protective covering for covering andprotecting delicate finishes on previously installed kitchen and bathcountertops and appliances, as well as any other installed components ona construction job site from damage due to dropped tools andconstruction workers working in the vicinity of the installedcomponents. In addition, a protective covering having at least oneintegral intermediary sheet of plastic capable of extending therefromfor protecting the face of any installed construction component is alsodisclosed. The present protective covering includes at least two layersof sheeted materials adhered together to form a double skinned, sheetedmaterial protective covering. A preferred embodiment includes a centerplastic sheet material at least partially extending between the doubleskins.

The material to be preferably used includes at least two layers ofcorrugated cardboard having a plastic sheeted material adheredtherebetween, forming a double skinned sheeted material having a centermaterial between the two skins, with a thickness of from about ⅛″ toabout 5″ thick, and each of the layers may be made of any individualcorrugated double skinned sheet materials including corrugatedcardboard, plastic, paper, foamed skinned materials or lightweightcomposites. Although corrugated cardboard is preferred for cost reasons,the corrugated plastic embodiment may be made of polypropylene,polyethylene, or any other commercially available corrugated plastic, solong as it is lightweight and will not mar the surface.

Further, the double skinned sheet material may include a honeycombconstruction having individual honeycomb cell sizes of from about ¼″ toabout 1″ diameter. In addition, double skinned sheet material may beused that has two outer skins and foamed materials thereinbetween.Reinforcement materials may be incorporated into the center foam to aidthe rigidity of the unit, thereby enhancing the weight bearing capacityof the protective covering. As the reinforcement will not contact theinstalled fixture surface, it may be of any high strength, yetlightweight material, such as a metal mesh or metallic spun web, both ofwhich are very lightweight and inexpensive.

Various embodiments for other kitchen and bathroom fixtures, such ascountertops, appliances, sinks, hot tubs, bidets, water jet tubs,toilets, and any other conventional bathroom fixture which needsprotection from workers, can be made from the above described doubleskinned materials without any undue experimentation, and is contemplatedby the present inventors within the scope of this invention.

Although the invention will be described by way of examples hereinbelowfor specific embodiments having certain features, it must also berealized that minor modifications that do not require undoexperimentation on the part of the practitioner are covered within thescope and breadth of this invention. Additional advantages and othernovel features of the present invention will be set forth in thedescription that follows and in particular will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon examination or may be learned within thepractice of the invention. Therefore, the invention is capable of manyother different embodiments and its details are capable of modificationsof various aspects which will be obvious to those of ordinary skill inthe art all without departing from the spirit of the present invention.Accordingly, the rest of the description will be regarded asillustrative rather than restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the expectedscope and various embodiments of the present invention, reference shallbe made to the following detailed description, and when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts aregiven the same reference numerals, and wherein;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a multi-layer protective coveringmade in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of another aspect of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3. is a side elevational view of yet another aspect of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the placement of the multi-layer sheetedmaterial in its environment on a kitchen counter with a constructionworker standing thereon;

FIG. 5 is a top plan cutaway view of the honeycomb construction for oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 a is a perspective view of an air duct heating ventilatorprotective covering;

FIG. 6 b is the air duct heating ventilator protective covering of FIG.6 a in a closed position;

FIG. 7 is the air duct heating ventilator protective covering of FIGS. 6a and 6 b shown in its environment covering an air duct;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a toilet protective covering;

FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the toilet protective covering ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a front perspective view of the toilet protective coveringof FIGS. 8 and 9, but including a locking strap;

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of yet another embodiment of atoilet wrap made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a die-cut piece of corrugated material forshaping into a toilet protective covering;

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of the air vent covering in anassembled form;

FIG. 14 is a laid open top plan view of a die-cut cardboard air ductcovering;

FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of a partially folded air ductcovering;

FIG. 16 is a side perspective view of the air duct covering in a fullyfolded state; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of yet another side of the air ductcovering.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Looking first to FIG. 1, there is a side elevational cutaway view of afirst embodiment of a construction site protective covering made inaccordance with the present invention, generally denoted by numeral 10,which is made of a corrugated honeycomb cardboard underlayment 12, andhaving adhered thereto a corrugated cardboard piece 14. A sheet ofplastic 16 may be adhered between the corrugated honeycomb underlayment12 and the corrugated cardboard piece 14. The inventors have discoveredthat the combination of the honeycomb underlayment 12 with an adheredupper layer of corrugated cardboard 14 yields a very desirableprotective covering, which they sell under their trade name, CORHEX™.CORHEX™ may or may not include an optional plastic sheet 16 asillustrated in FIG. 1. The CORHEX™ material is the basis for most of theconstruction protective coverings, and may include optional plasticsheets or additional corrugated pieces either on the top or the bottom,and may also include ribbing or texturing on the upper surface and/orreusable adhesive tacky coatings on the bottom. These features mayreduce slippage of the covering on the surface being protected.

The base CORHEX™ material described herein is preferably composed of aweight-bearing honeycomb cardboard construction underlayment 12 havingfrom about 10 cells per square foot to about 200 cells per square foot,and is from about ¼″ thick to about 5″ thick, depending upon the desiredapplication. Other materials suitable for the underlayment 12 of thepresent invention also include corrugated plastic material, compositewood forms, foamed core construction composites, sandwiched foam coreplastics, metal mesh reinforced plastics and/or wood composites,recycled materials, and any other suitable material for the job. Whilethe rest of this patent application will generally speak of thecardboard honeycomb and corrugated cardboard embodiment, it is wellcontemplated by the present inventors that any of the above mentionedmaterials could be used as well, in substitution for the cardboard orhoneycomb, so long as it will act as a protective covering.

It is very important that the surface of the protective covering whichwill contact the surface of the item to be protected must be anon-marring material so as not to scratch the item to be protected. Inother words, if the protective covering is made of a cardboard material,there cannot be any staples or metallic components that would scratch,for example, a kitchen countertop or toilet cover. The outer surface ofthe protective covering, that which will contact the constructionworker, is preferably made having a surface which is non-slippery andsafe for the construction worker to be working on, in, or around.Consequently, if the protective covering is made of a disposablecardboard with a soft, paper exterior of the sheeted skins, then it isexpected that the protective covering would not harm the surface to beprotected. In addition, a corrugated cardboard upper surface would beable to be stood on by a construction worker without providing an unsafesurface.

In order to increase the safety, it may be advantageous to provide atacky, upper surface or a sandpaper surface, including non-skidmaterials, or the surface may be coated with a rubbery material thatprovides a non-skid surface. In the event that a tacky surface isdesired to prevent slippage of the protective covering on the surface ofthe countertop, sink, or any other item to be protected, it may also beadvantageous to include a waxy paper covering which may be peeled awayby the construction worker installing it, and thereby providing a meansfor sticking the protective covering onto the countertops without makinga permanent adhesive situation.

It is also contemplated by the present inventors that the materials usedfor the protective coverings may be water resistant, fire resistant, oilresistant and/or recyclable, depending upon the applications. For thewater resistant protective covering, a spray coating is preferablysprayed onto the contacting surface on the protective covering, althougha separate plastic sheet may be adhered onto the protective covering.The same arrangement is possible for the other material attributesdesired, such as the fire resistance, or the oil resistance, where acoating or an additional sheet of fire or oil resistant material iscontacted on the surface of the protective covering.

For instance, in the application of a bathtub covering, the bathtub isinstalled before the drywall and/or other wall treatments are made. Theworkers need something to stand on while performing these operations. Athicker component, preferably made of a multi-layer honeycombconfiguration, is useful for supporting the weight of up to a 500 poundman, and such a honeycomb design would be preferably about 2½″ thick,with a cell count of from about 100 cells/sq. ft. to about 6 cells/sq.ft. in order to support the weight of that man over a large span ofunsupported space. An additional corrugated cardboard covering may beadhered to the honeycomb cardboard configuration is preferably a ¼″ to1″ thick piece of corrugated cardboard, with flutes having a density offrom about 20 flutes/linear inch to about 3 flutes/linear inch.Applicants sell such a structure under the trademark of CORHEX™. In thisembodiment, corrugated flutes run horizontally with regard to theCORHEX™ material, while the individual honeycomb cells run essentiallyvertically for weight support. The honeycomb configuration may alsoinclude a separate cardboard piece, similar to the corrugated cardboardpiece honeycomb configuration. It may also include a separate cardboardpiece, similar to the corrugated cardboard piece 14 of FIG. 1, and mayalso include a low-tack adhesive on the bottom in order to hold theCORHEX™ piece in place, whether it is being placed on flooring, acountertop, a cooking island or in bathroom appliances.

A preferred embodiment includes a protective covering for constructionsites to protect a construction installation having a surface thereon,including at least two layers of corrugated cardboard adhered togetherand also having a protective sheeted material at least partially adheredbetween at least a portion of the at least two layers of corrugatedcardboard. The protective sheeted material extends outwardly anddownwardly therefrom to protect at least portions of the constructioninstallation. In this embodiment, the at least two layers are both madeof double skinned ¼″ corrugated cardboard with flutes. The first of theat least two layers is preferably made of double skinned ¼″ corrugatedcardboard with flutes and the second of the at least two layers is madeof a vertically oriented corrugated cardboard. Furthermore, the at leasttwo layers may further be adhered together with a plastic sheetedmaterial adhered near one of the edges of the protective covering. Thisyields a protective covering with a plastic sheeted material extendinginwardly from the edge of the covering from about one 1″ to about 6″.Another preferred embodiment includes a five layer structure including afirst ¼″ corrugated cardboard layer, a vertically oriented corrugatedcardboard layer on top of the first cardboard layer, a second ¼″corrugated cardboard layer on top of the vertically oriented cardboardlayer, and a plastic sheeted material is adhered to an edge so that theplastic sheeted material extends outwardly and downwardly wheninstalled. A fifth top layer of ¼″ corrugated cardboard is adhered tothe top of the plastic sheeted material, wherein each of the layers isadhered across its contacting surfaces to create a five layer structure.The protective sheeted material may be selected from the groupconsisting of plastic sheets and paper sheets that are made of a plasticsheet from about 2 mils thick to about 5 mils thick.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the basic material CORHEX™ is illustratedwith a partially inserted sheet of plastic 16 into the edge of theprotective covering 10. Although plastic sheet 16 may extend entirelytherethrough, it is advantageously added only at the edges, in someinstances, so that the CORHEX™ piece can be easily cut with a utilityknife in order to make modifications for various constructionapplications. The plastic or paper sheet is most advantageous when ithangs down over the front of the cabinets being protected. Plastic sheet16 is preferably from about a 2 ml to about 5 ml thick polyethylene filmthat resists puncturing, but may be of any other suitable type ofmaterial. The plastic sheet 16 may instead be a sheet of paper which isdesigned to resist puncturing, and is commonly sold as butcher paper orPolyKraft paper which is a readily available water and tear-resistantdurable plastic layer bonded to a heavy-duty paper sheet which alsoprovides excellent protection for floors or countertops on its own. Sucha paper sheet may be from about 20 lb. paper to about 100 lb. paper, andis ideal for reducing scuffing, dirt and dust on hard surfaces. Needlessto say, such paper and/or plastic sheets may include ribbed or texturedsurfaces (not shown), as well as adhesives, such as low-tack adhesives,in order for securement in place at desired locations.

Looking next to FIG. 2, there is shown yet another embodiment of thepresent invention for countertops, cooking islands, and the like, whichis generally denoted by the numeral 20. Protective covering 20 may becomprised of a honeycomb corrugated cardboard section 22, having anotherpiece of thinner corrugated cardboard piece 28 adhered thereon. On topof the corrugated cardboard layer 28 is shown a sheeted material 26,which may be either plastic or paper or a combination thereof, and istopped again with yet another corrugated cardboard piece 24 forstructural strength. An optional under corrugated cardboard layer 29 maybe adhered to the bottom of the honeycomb section 22. As describedhereinabove, the top layer may also incorporate a ribbed or texturedsurface to prevent slippage of the construction workers thereon, and mayalso include an optional low-tack adhesive on the bottom of thelowermost layer for adhering to the countertops and preventing slippingof the workers.

Next, FIG. 3 illustrates a simple protective covering, generally denotedby numeral 30, in which a honeycomb cardboard support 32 is shown havinga single corrugated cardboard layer 34 adhered thereto. Optionaltexturing and ribbing surface 36 may be applied, if so desired. If used,optional low-tack adhesive layer 38 is preferably adhered to theunderside of honeycomb layer 32 for securement and placement. In theevent of the utilization of a low-tack adhesive, it would be mostadvantageous to further include an additional underlayer of waxy releasepaper covering, adhered to the low-tack adhesive, which can be peeledaway by the construction worker before the piece is put into place andsecured by the adhesive.

Looking now to FIG. 4, there is shown an environmental view of the mostbasic form of the counter protective covering, generally denoted bynumeral 40, which is also shown in greater detail with regards to FIG. 1hereinabove. Counter protective covering 40 includes a top layer ofcorrugated cardboard 42 and preferably has a sheet of polyethylene 44extending therefrom. The honeycomb underlayment 45 is shown placed ontop of countertop 48 of a traditional kitchen cabinet. Constructionworker 46 can easily stand on the counter protective coating 40 and theweight-bearing aspect of the protective covering 40 will easily hold hisweight without knicking, scratching or denting the countertopsthereunder. Polyethylene sheet of material 44 is advantageous aspainting contractors will not be able to splash or overspray their paintonto the countertops. Although FIG. 4 illustrates only one piece ofcounter protective covering in place, it is envisioned by the inventorsthat the entire counter will be most advantageously covered with suchprotective coverings, thereby providing the maximum coverage.

The uses for the basic CORHEX™ material are preferably for overbathtubs, countertops and floors, as these are all horizontalapplications and require the greatest amount of weight support capacity.The bathtub application is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/163,778 filed 6 Jun. 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.Although the instant drawings do not illustrate the CORHEX™ materialover a bathtub, it is shown in the drawings of the above-referencedpatent application. In the instance of bathtubs, the fundamentalCORHEX™material is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and may advantageouslyutilize a plastic, paper or cardboard apron for covering the front faceof the tub, while providing a weight-bearing structure over the openhole of the tub. Besides protecting the surface of the tub, thisprovides a standing surface for a drywall or painting contractor tocomplete the surround around the tub, and also will act as a worksurface. The protective covering 30 will prevent any knicks or scratchesin the event that any of the contractors drop any of their tools whileworking above the tub. Further, a plastic sheet material acting as anapron over the front face of the tub may prevent overspray and/or othermaterial damage to the tub face itself. Likewise, the basic CORHEX™material may include sheets of plastic or paper to cover cabinet facesin the application of utilizing the core material on a countertop. Asthe core material can easily be modified by the utilization of a utilityknife, this material can cover and protect all makes, models, styles andsizes of bathroom fixtures. Furthermore, it prevents bathtubs from beingused as trash bins or other receptacles by construction workers, whichhomeowners generally find displeasing when they enter the home.

While the inventors herein also envision the utilization of corrugatedplastic materials, the corrugated cardboard materials having a high pulpcontent are especially preferred because they are not only lightweight,durable and weight-bearing, but they are also 100% recyclable, andtherefore are landfill compliant. Those materials generally provide anon-scratching surface. This is of great concern to constructioncompanies and builders these days, as the disposal of any constructionsite waste incurs tipping fees in landfills can become very high,cutting down on their overall profits.

Looking now to FIG. 5, there is shown a general honeycomb configurationmultiple cell panel which is especially useful in the manufacture of theCORHEX™ material described herein. Such a honeycomb configuration,generally denoted by numeral 50, includes honeycomb cells 52 with alight-weight paper enclosure, approximately 10 lb. Kraft paper to about30 lb. Kraft paper weight. Material 54 encloses the cells. Thecorrugated paper proposed in this present invention to finalize themanufacture of the CORHEX™ material is generally of a ¼″ to ½″ thickcorrugated cardboard generally available in the mainstream commercialactivity.

Looking now to yet another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 autilizes a single or double layer of corrugated cardboard or plasticwhich is die-cut to form an air duct heating ventilator protectivecovering, generally denoted by numeral 60, which includes a tri-foldapplication in order to trap and hold a filter mat material piece 70therein. Needless to say, a multi-layer corrugated piece of cardboard orplastic with vent holes having a mat glued between the layers is alsocontemplated by the present inventors. This piece will be generallydenoted by the trademark VENTWRAP™ and is available from the inventorsherein. The VENTWRAP™ 60 generally includes a first flap 62 preferablyis comprised of upper and lower layers of two ¼″ corrugated cardboardlayers adhered together, 64 and 66, respectively. Notches 68 are cutinto the flap 62 in order to help with air flow. Folding portions 63 aredie-cut into the corrugated cardboard assembly 60, and allow the secondflap 72 to be folded over filter mat material 70 and allow second flap72 to be folded down over first flap 62. Securing notches 76 fit intovent orifice 78, once the tri-fold has been folded and compacted intothe piece as shown in FIG. 6 b. Vent holes 74 are placed intermittentlythroughout each of the flaps and allow for air passage once theVENTWRAP™ is in place over an air ventilation hole. The VENTWRAP™provides a filter barrier which keeps foreign objects, such as screws,lumber, scraps, drywall, dust and other materials, from falling into theair vents. Prior art air vent covers tended to have insufficient airflow therethrough, and actually have shut off furnaces in newlyconstructed homes. The present VENTWRAP™ has more than sufficient netfree area for air flow, and is easily installed with common wood screwsinto the wooden floor underlayment before the flooring is installed. Itcan be easily removed when the floor has been placed. This VENTWRAP™will support the weight of a construction worker, thereby providingprotection from injuries which are commonly associated with open and/oruncovered vents. Although the VENTWRAP™ is very durable and may bereused if carefully taken from the last job, they are completelydisposable and eliminate expensive post-construction cleanup of ductwork in air vents. The tri-fold design assembles in seconds and can beinstalled just as quickly with a power screwdriver. The multiple folddesign allows for air to come up from the air vent, flow up through ventholes 74, be filtered through filter mat 70, and come through the flutesof the double layer of corrugated cardboard 64 and 66.

FIG. 6 b shows the tri-fold design once it has been compacted, andprotective covering 60 is shown with filter mat material 70 in phantom,as it is held between the various folds of the tri-fold design. Ventholes 74 are shown as the air comes up and can filter sideways outthrough the various layers of the first and second flaps, 62 and 72respectively. The die-cut folds 63 hold the assembly together, and theyare shown in greater detail in placement in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 illustrates the environment of an installed VENTWRAP™ asdescribed in the earlier two figures, and shows the VENTWRAP™, generallydenoted by numeral 60, secured in place on subflooring 84 with woodscrews 86 at each of the corners. Vent holes 74 allow the air to befiltered from filter mat 70 up through from air vent 80. At the top ofair heating duct vent 80, there is a vent hole in the floor shown inphantom as element 82. As the air rises from air vent 80 through venthole 82, it goes through filter mat 70 and can either come into the roomvia vent hole 74 or sideways through the flutes of the corrugatedcardboard 88.

Looking next to FIG. 8, there is shown yet another aspect of the presentinvention including a toilet protective covering generally denoted bythe numeral 90, including a tank cover 92 and a toilet bowl cover 98.Toilet tank covering 92 is formed by die-cutting a single piece ofcardboard and forming flaps 96 which are adhered together with anadhesive. A work surface 94 is formed thereon which preferably includesthereunder a honeycomb configuration to allow standing thereon. Thehoneycomb configuration is shown in greater detail hereinbelow. Thetoilet bowl cover 98 may include a toilet bowl cover front flap 100. Acommercially available locking strap 102 is preferably included and isadvantageously placed through perforations 104 on either side of thetoilet bowl cover 98. Locking strap 102 is preferably a locking cabletie long enough to reach under the toilet bowl, but may be any suitabletype of strap, including elastic cords, ropes, locking ties, or anyother type of commercially available locking strap.

The inventors call this invention their TOILETWRAP™, which deters theuse of a toilet by contractors, helping eliminate expensive cleanupcosts which are associated with unauthorized use of toilets. If alocking strap is utilized, the tank cover locks on with the lockingstrap to discourage use of the toilet during all phases of constructionand is adapted to fit any size of toilet. The TOILETWRAP™ 90 will cover,protect and double as a work surface. Further, the name of the buildercan be printed onto the tank top, in order to achieve brand namerecognition, and warnings signs such as “Stop: Do Not Use” may also beprinted on the top of the toilet bowl cover 98. Unauthorized toilet usehas been a long-standing problem with contractors, and new homeownerscome into their brand new home expect it to be pristine, and not havingto clean out the toilets. This highly undesirable situation can easilybe eliminated by using the TOILETWRAP™, while also securely protectingthe fixtures from nicks, dents, overspray, caulk, and the like fromconstruction workers finishing the bathroom after the toilet has beeninstalled.

FIG. 9 illustrates the TOILETWRAP™ 90 from behind to illustrate therelative placement of optional work and body supporting honeycombportions 106 and 108, respectively, under the toilet bowl cover 98 andtoilet tank covering 92. If utilized, honeycomb 108 may form a worksurface under the upper work surface 94, and provides support for acontractor to stand on top of toilet bowl cover 98 due to the honeycombweight-supporting portion 106 thereunder.

FIG. 10 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the TOILETWRAP™ 90installed over a standard toilet tank 110 and toilet bowl 112. Toiletbowl 112 includes an underside 114 which can receive the locking strap102 in order to lock down the TOILETWRAP™ 90, here shown as a cable tie.Once the tank cover 92 has been slipped over the toilet tank 110, andcable tie 102 is secured under the underside 114 of toilet bowl 112, itwould be very difficult for someone to utilize the toilet withoutclipping off the cable tie and disassembling the entire unit. This willact as a discouragement for contractors to use the toilet.

FIG. 11 shows yet another embodiment of the TOILETWRAP™, generallydenoted by the numeral 120, in accordance with the present invention,which includes merely a cover 112 to go over toilet bowl 114. This isdifferent from the last described embodiment because there is no coverfor the toilet tank, as this embodiment only goes over the toilet bowl.An additional locking strap, shown here as a cable tie 116, extendsbackwardly and goes under toilet tank 110. When the front cable tie 102is secured and the back cable tie 116 is secured, the toilet bowl cover112 discourages use of the toilet by unauthorized personnel. It must benoted that the locking system of locking straps 102 and 116 may be madeof traditional cable ties or may be some other readily available type oftie strap, rope, elastic or string in order to go around the back of thebowl. The securing device described may be anchored to the corrugatedTOILETWRAP™ 120 through die-cut holes in the corrugated toilet bowlcover 112.

FIG. 12 illustrates a die-cut lay-out of a preferred embodiment of thepresent TOILETWRAP™ 90 invention, and shows a die-cut cardboardcontainer as it will be cut from a single piece of cardboard. Acorrugated cardboard of the main portion is preferably a ⅛″ to 1″ thickpiece of corrugated cardboard, as is commercially available in the art,and further includes two separate honeycomb reinforcement sectionsadhered to the main cardboard construction as illustrated in FIG. 9, andshown herein with reference to FIG. 12 under the tank top and under theseat portion. When folded and glued together in the appropriate places,the toilet protective covering of FIGS. 8-11 will be realized.

Looking next to FIG. 13 there is shown another embodiment for our airduct vent wrap covering generally denoted by the numeral 120. Thisembodiment does not require the use of a filter mat. Vent wrap 120includes a solid top portion 122 which defines a die-cut air passage 124located therebelow. Die-cut living hinges 126 enable the assembly of thevent wrap from a single sheet of corrugated material. The individual airholes defined by the corrugated material include air passages 128 whichprovide further air passage net free area in addition to the die-cut airpassages 124. A fully laid out and unassembled die-cut vent wrap 120 isshown in further detail with regards to FIG. 14.

Looking next to FIG. 14, vent wrap 120 is shown in an unfolded andunassembled configuration wherein there are four sections: 1) the solidtop portion 122; 2) the air passage bottom portion 130; 3) the firstdie-cut folding section 134; and, 4) a second die-cut folding section136. Die-cut bottom air passages 132 have been cut through the airpassage bottom portion 130 so that when the vent wrap is placeddownwardly on top of the vent, the air can come up through the die-cutbottom passages 132 and exit through the air passage sections cut intothe first and second die-cut folding sections 134 and 136, respectively.Die-cut living hinges 126 allow for the formation of the constructedvent wrap from a single piece of corrugated material. Of course, thevent wrap 120 may be made of any number of layers, as long as it cansupport weight.

Looking next to FIG. 15, there is shown a top isometric view of apredominantly folded and constructed vent wrap illustrating the solidtop 122 having living hinges 138 die-cut therein. The first and seconddie-cut folding sections 134 and 136, respectively, have been folded intowards the center, and partially form the die-cut passages 124 in thosesections. Air passages 132 which have been cut into bottom section 130extend upwardly and allow air to pass from the air duct up through airpassages 132 and out the sides through die-cut passages 124. Inaddition, air passages through the corrugated material further add tothe net free area and allow greater air flow therethrough.

FIG. 16 illustrates a top isometric view of the folded and constructedvent wrap 120 showing the solid top section 122 and the relativeplacement of living hinges 126 and die-cut living hinges 138. Therelative placement of the first and second die-cut folding sections 134and 136 respectively are illustrated in relation to bottom portion 130and solid top 122. As one can see from FIG. 16, die-cut air passages 124are large enough to provide full air flow from the furnace, while thecorrugated material of vent wrap 120 will act to sufficiently supportthe weight of any man which could stand thereon.

FIG. 17 shows a bottom isometric view of vent wrap 120 showing thebottom portion 130 in an upwardly facing configuration. The die-cutbottom passages 132 are shown as leading out to the edge through die-cutair passages 124. Again, living hinges 126 allow for the construction ofthe ultimate vent wrap 120, and provide for a precisely flatconfiguration when it is folded into place.

Another embodiment of the present invention includes an air ductventilator protective covering for protecting construction workers andthe air ducts from foreign objects, including at least one layer ofcorrugated material having vent holes therein for covering an air ductheating ventilator opening to prevent construction workers from steppinginto the ventilator opening and to prevent foreign objects from fallinginto the ventilator opening, said at least one layer of corrugatedmaterial being capable of supporting the weight of a man, and whereinthe vent holes allow open communication of air between the air duct andthe ambient roof atmosphere so that when the heater blows air throughthe ventilator, there is substantially no blockage for air passage. Theair duct ventilator protective covering may be made of a corrugatedmaterial including ¼″ corrugated cardboard that is die-cut to befoldable into the resulting air duct protective cover, whereby multiplelayers of corrugated cardboard end up on top of each other to yield astrong support for supporting a man. A piece of filter mat material maybe located between the folds of the die-cut corrugated cardboard.

The corrugated material may be die-cut to be foldable forming airpassages perpendicular to the direction of air flow out of theventilator, and the corrugated material may be a double layer of ¼″corrugated material.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a toiletprotective covering to cover a toilet and deter use of a toilet,comprising a die-cut piece of corrugated material capable of beingfolded into shape for securement around a toilet component. The die-cutcorrugated material may be adapted to be capable of being folded into ashape to cover the toilet bowl, or the bowl and the toile tank, and maybe secured around the periphery of the toilet bowl. This embodiment mayfurther comprise a locking device selected from the group consistinglocking straps, locking cable ties, ropes, and elastic cords.

Therefore, there has been provided, in accordance with the presentinvention, a functional piece of constructive protective covering forheating and ductwork, constructed of corrugated materials, includingcorrugated cardboard, corrugated paper, corrugated plastic, wood, or anyother material which has air passages therein and can be die-cut for thevent wrap configuration. In accordance with the present invention, therehas been further disclosed a series of construction protective coveringsfor countertops, bathtub tops, jacuzzi and spa tubs, heating duct ventopenings, and toilets. The basic CORHEX™ material has been disclosed andmay be utilized for any of these applications or any other desiredapplications in the construction industry. It has been found that theCORHEX™ material can be utilized on appliances, cabinets, over ventholes in floors, covering the floors themselves after expense flooringhas been installed, staircase openings, and any place where aconstruction worker might fall or trip or otherwise hurt himself.

The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention hasbeen presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light ofthe above teachings with regards to the specific embodiments. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best illustrate theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications to therebyenable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention invarious embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the claims which are appended hereto.

1. A protective covering for construction sites to protect aconstruction installation, such as a cabinet, having a surface thereon,comprising: at least two layers of corrugated material bonded togetherhaving a collective thickness of from about ½″ to about 5″ thick; and aprotective sheeted material at least partially adhered between at leasta portion of the at least two layers of corrugated material, saidprotective sheeted material extending outwardly and downwardly therefromto protect at least portions of the construction installation; whereinsaid protective covering is adapted to be custom cut on-site easily forpost-forming the covering to any specific particular size andconfiguration of the construction installation being covered, whereineach of the at least two bonded corrugated material layers includes adouble skinned sheet material made of a corrugated material selectedfrom the group consisting of corrugated cardboard, corrugated paper andcorrugated plastic, including corrugated polypropylene and polyethylene,and wherein one of the at least two layers of corrugated materials is avertically oriented corrugated rigid sheet material constructed in ahoneycomb configuration having an individual cell size of between about¼″ to about 1″ and is from about 1″ to about 5″ thick, such that theprotective sheeted material covers and drapes over the front of theconstruction installation to prevent nicks, scratches and spills fromdamaging the installation.
 2. The covering of claim 1, wherein the atleast two layers are both made of double skinned ¼″ corrugated cardboardwith flutes.
 3. The covering of claim 1, wherein the first of the atleast two layers is made of double skinned ¼″ corrugated cardboard withflutes and the second of the at least two layers is made of a verticallyoriented corrugated cardboard.
 4. The covering of claim 1, wherein theat least two layers are adhered together with a plastic sheeted materialadhered near one of the edges of the protective covering, wherein theplastic sheeted material extends inwardly from the edge of the coveringfrom about one 1″ to about 6″.
 5. The covering of claim 1, furthercomprising a five layer structure including a first ¼″ corrugatedcardboard layer, a vertically oriented corrugated cardboard layer on topof the first cardboard layer, a second ¼″ corrugated cardboard layer ontop of the vertically oriented cardboard layer, a plastic sheetedmaterial adhered to an edge so that the plastic sheeted material extendsoutwardly and downwardly when installed, and a fifth top layer of ¼″corrugated cardboard on top of the plastic sheeted material, whereineach of the layers is adhered across its contacting surfaces to create afive layer structure.
 6. The covering of claim 1, wherein the protectivesheeted material is selected from the group consisting of plastic sheetsand paper sheets.
 7. The covering of claim 1, wherein the protectivesheeted material is made of a plastic sheet from about 2 mils thick toabout 5 mils thick.
 8. An air duct ventilator protective covering forprotecting construction workers and the air ducts from foreign objects,comprising: at least one layer of corrugated material having vent holestherein for covering an air duct heating ventilator opening to preventconstruction workers from stepping into the ventilator opening and toprevent foreign objects from falling into the ventilator opening, saidat least one layer of corrugated material being capable of supportingthe weight of a man, and wherein the vent holes allow open communicationof air between the air duct and the ambient roof atmosphere so that whenthe heater blows air through the ventilator, there is substantially noblockage for air passage.
 9. The air duct ventilator protective coveringof claim 8, wherein the corrugated material includes ¼″ corrugatedcardboard that is die-cut to be foldable into the resulting air ductprotective cover, whereby multiple layers of corrugated cardboard end upon top of each other to yield a strong support for supporting a man. 10.The air duct ventilator protective covering of claim 9, furthercomprising a piece of filter mat material located between the folds ofthe die-cut corrugated cardboard.
 11. The air duct ventilator protectivecovering of claim 8, wherein the corrugated material is die-cut to befoldable forming air passages perpendicular to the direction of air flowout of the ventilator.
 12. The air duct ventilator protective coveringof claim 8, wherein the corrugated material includes a double layer of¼″ corrugated material.
 13. A toilet protective covering to cover atoilet and deter use of a toilet, comprising a die-cut piece ofcorrugated material capable of being folded into shape for securementaround a toilet component.
 14. The toilet protective covering of claim13, wherein the die-cut corrugated material is capable of being foldedinto a shape to cover the toilet bowl and secured around the peripheryof the toilet bowl.
 15. The toilet protective covering of claim 13,wherein the die-cut corrugated material is capable of being folded intoa shape to cover both the toilet bowl and a toilet tank cover to deterusage.
 16. The toilet protective covering of claim 13, furthercomprising a locking device selected from the group consisting lockingstraps, locking cable ties, ropes, and elastic cords.